Coming in last, contrary to expectations (5,3) Crossword Clue

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Here is the answer for the crossword clue Coming in last, contrary to expectations (5,3) last seen in Guardian Cryptic puzzle. We have found 40 possible answers for this clue in our database. Among them, one solution stands out with a 98% match which has a length of 8 letters. We think the likely answer to this clue is AFTERALL.

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Crossword Answer For Coming in last, contrary to expectations (5,3):

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40 Potential Answers:

RankAnswerLengthSourceDate
98% AFTERALL Coming in last, contrary to expectations (5,3) (8) The Guardian Cryptic Jan 29, 2026
7% DUE Expected in (3) Wall Street Journal Aug 17, 2026
7% ISTO "That ___ be expected" (4) New York Times Midi Aug 4, 2026
7% IRONIC Poignantly contrary (6) Universal Aug 1, 2026
7% REAR Bring up the ____, come last (4) The Telegraph Cross Atlantic Jul 12, 2026
7% ODDLY Contrary to expectation (5) Wall Street Journal Jul 24, 2017
7% STRANGELY Contrary to expectations (9)
6% AWAIT Expect or anticipate (5) The Telegraph Plusword Aug 15, 2026
6% AWAKEN Come to (6) Thomas Joseph Aug 15, 2026
6% OHWOW "Huh, wasn't expecting that!" (5) New York Times Mini Aug 15, 2026

Last appeared together with the following clues in Guardian Cryptic puzzle

Coming in last, contrary to expectations (5,3) Crossword Clue
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We found 40 solutions for Coming in last, contrary to expectations (5,3). The top solutions are determined by popularity, ratings and frequency of searches. The most likely answer for the clue is AFTERALL.

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